When people think of Africa, it is easy to get caught up with visions of the continent's wildlife, landscapes and overall exotic culture; yet these examples of African architecture show a different side of the adventurous destination that encourage people to reevaluate their initial perceptions. With an eye for modernity that is often associated with Singapore, Dubai and North America, many African homes, hotels and cultural hubs are contemporary and innovative.
From sleek abodes fit for tech-savvy individuals to retreats that focus as much on its natural surroundings as it does on luxurious accommodations, these examples of African architecture suggest that its cities are appealing to upper-class tourists and tastemakers alike. Yet many of the designs still keep in mind its heritage in order to make the experience as unique and representative as possible.
26 Examples of African Architecture
27
Underwater Hotel Rooms
The Partially Submerged Manta Resort Offers Astounding Aquatic Views
26
Luxuriously Domed Retreats
Mahali Mzuri by Richard Branson is a Spacious African Getaway
25
Spectacular African Retreats
The Cove 6 Residence Features Panoramic Views
24
Ultra Modern Barns
This Emilio Eftychis Design is Sleek and Eco-Sustainable
23
River-Infused Residences
The Nico van der Meulen Architects ‘Ber House’ is Luxurious
22
L-Shaped Architecture
The 'Vame' House in South Africa is an ideal Getaway
21
Spectacularly Terraced Mansions
The Aloe Ridge House Diminishes Barriers Between Inside and Out
20
Secluded African Wilderness Resorts
The Leobo Private Reserve Offers Maximum Luxury
19
Enchanting African Treehouse Havens
This Game Reserve Lodge in South Africa is Whimsical and Sweet
18
Extensively Open Abodes
The House VK 1 by Greg Wright Architects is Mixed
17
Seven-Level Cliffside Villas
Nettleton 198 by SAOTA is a Beautiful South African Sanctuary
16
South African Zen Sanctuaries
The SGNW House by Metropole Architects is Modern and Rustic
15
Upcycled Shipping Container Dorms
Mills Junction from Citiq is Made from Old Silos
14
Water-Harvesting Vessels
The WarkaWater Towers Make Clean Drinking Water Easy to Access
13
Cabana-Inspired Abodes
The House Aboobaker by Nico van der Meulen Architects is Unbelievable
12
Transforming Auditorium Architecture
The CasArts Theater Presents for Indoor and Outdoor Audiences
11
Elevated Ecological Airports
Symbiotic Vaulting Lets Nature, Neighborhoods and Airlines to Coexist
10
Thatched African Hotels
The Kyambura Lodge by Regional Associates is a Modern Twist on Tradition
9
African Urban Planning
Koffi & Diabaté's Urban Planning Projects Offer Solutions
8
Wall-Less Seaside Escapes
The Sea House by Sarah Calburn Architects is an Ocean Getaway
7
Easily Adaptable Abodes
The Hyde Park Houses by Daffonchio + Associate Architects is Flexible
6
Aluminium-Wrapped Seaside Sanctuaries
La Lucia by SAOTA is a Beautiful Shoreline Retreat
5
African Tech Cities
Kenya’s Government is Investing in 'Africa’s Silicon Savannah'
4
Luxury African Towers
The Ramzi Towers High-Rise is Located on an Exclusive Nigerian Island
3
Visionary Floating Schools
Kunle Adeyemi is Building Floating School in a Water-Logged Slum
2
Stilted Architecture Designs
The Africanews Headquarters is Elevated off the Ground
1
Activism-Inspired Medical Centers
The Burkina Faso Medical Center Highlights Social Good
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Private Lifestyle Minimal Bungalows
The Southwestern Residence is Built Around a Courtyard
Angular Artistic Tiny Homes
The Ibiza Tiny House Captures Mediterranean Style for Comfy Living
Ultra-Modern Apartment Designs
No Architects Created a Multi-Functional Modern Apartment
Contemporary Woodland Retreats
Michael Kendrick Architects Creates an Immersive & Idyllic Retreat
Comfort-Focused Luxury Dome Tents
The Spherescape Tent is Described as "An Innovative Masterpiece"
A-Frame Alpine-Inspired Cabins
The Adventure Whare Retreat by Studio Well is Demure
Nature-Inspired Geometric Office Domes
Anthony Hodson Designs the New Dzome as a Garden Office Pod
Cat-Centric Compact Homes
This Japanese Dwelling Embraces Feline-Friendly Design Choices
Cube-Combining Tiny Homes
This Unique Tiny Home Uses Modular Spaces to Enable Flexible Use
Luxuriously Artistic Homes
Child Studio Taps Mid-Sentury Modern Sensibilities & Art Deco Motifs
Plant-Filled Latticed Buildings
Wallflower Architecture + Design Creates the Touching Eden House
Eco-Minded Modular Cabins
The DUB Modular Cabin Has a Cost-Effective Construction
Brutalist Cube Homes
Ludwig Godefroy Creates the Casa Alférez Holiday Home in the Alférez Region
Elegant Restaurant Interiors
Studio KO Celebrates Moroccan Culture in Sahbi Sahbi Interior Project
London-Based Narrow Houses
Yellow Cloud Studio Completes the Courtyard House Design
Serenely Stilted Houses
This Sustainable Tiny Home is Situated On An Elevated Platform
Garden-Centering Urban Townhouses
This Vietnamese Home's Layout is Arranged Around an Inner Garden
Minimal Mid-Century Hollywood Homes
Studio Qasabian Designs the Mulholland Home in LA
Cactus-Inspired Urban Skyscrapers
This Danish Skyscraper Features a Spiky Facade Design
Prefabricated Miniature Home Concepts
i29 Creates the Câpsula Concept for Dutch Design Week
Gabled Split Trapezoidal Homes
Studio KUNZ Designs the Casa Trapézios in Rio Grande do Sul
Picturesque Family Retreats
Malcolm Davis Architects Adds to This Beautiful Building
Contemporary All-White Homes
BHY Arquitectos Design a Stunning All-White Residence in Argentina
Tranquil Elevated Tiny Homes
Jan Tyrpekl Designs the Cozy Zen House in Austria
Contemporary Extravagant Houses
Wittehaus Unveils the Gerendák Residence in North Carolina
Arts and Crafts-Inspired Homes
Rural Office Designs the Middle Avenue House in Surrey
Wildlife-Embracing Jungle Homes
This House is Fully Exposed to the Costa Rican Jungle
Backyard-Transformed Dwelling Units
Catch Architecture and Obreval Design the ADU Carpintaria
Geometric Structural Forest Homes
The C House by GetAway Projects has a Half-Hexagonal Shape
Beautifully Sculptural Concrete Museums
Qatar Museums Unveils Official Images of the Lusail Museum
Modern Multi-Purpose Japanese Buildings
Akio Isshiki Architect Overhauls an Old Wooden Building
Stylishly Renovated Apartments
Malfinio Revamps a 19th-Century Building in Prague
Curvaceous Luxury Condominiums
This Miami Condo Building Will Feature a Glass-Bottom Rooftop Pool
Plant-Covered Concrete Homes
Studio Symbiosis Designs the Villa KD45 in Delhi with a Terraced Roof
Integrated Garden Designs
Ludwig Godefroy Champions "Habitable Gardens" in Mexico
Circus Tent-Inspired Holiday Homes
Cubo Design Architect Designs the Circus Home in Japan
Multi-Generational Houses
AUN Design Studio Designs the Reflection House in Bangkok, Thailand
Panoramic Scenic Dreamy Homes
Simple Architecture Designs the Tranquil House in Sozopol
Vibrant Multi-Level Office Designs
Gensler Reimagines the Accenture Office Space in Chicago
Opulent Culturally-Inspired Hotels
The Bulgari Hotel Tokyo is the Latest to Join the Luxe Chain
Silver Curtain Concrete Homes
Local Studio Bangkok Tokyo Architecture Designs the House K
Curved Concrete Hotels
Atelier d’More Transforms a Two-storey Building into a Contemporary Hotel
A-Frame Forest Tranquil Houses
Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados Designs a New Forest Home
Energy-Efficient Office Buildings
This Czech Office Complex is Outfitted With Eco-Friendly Designs
Sand Dune-Inspired Airport Roofs
Kohn Pedersen Fox Completes a Terminal Design
Award-Winning Housing Designs
Hong-En Lin Emphasizes the Importance of Clean Water Access
Black Timber Structural Pyramids
David Adjaye Designs the Kwaee Pavilion Using Blackened Wood
Temple-Inspired Idyllic Homes
Schemata Architects Designs the New K Residence Overlooking the Sea
African Culture-Honoring Chair Designs
Jomo Tariku Designs the Dynamic Kungdung Pembe Chair
Large Headquarter-Transformed Housing
Studio Egret West Designs Hayes Park Central and South
Modern-Updated Traditional Homes
KiKi ARCHi Designs the Skip House in the Middle of Beijing
Bamboo-Inspired Cultural Buildings
This Cultural Center Seamlessly Blends Into its Surroundings
Juxtaposing Minimal Artful Homes
Hino Studio Designs the Oceana Retreat in Florida
Traditional Japan-Honoring Homes
Cubo Design Architects Designs the C4L House in Tokyo
Farmland-Inspired Rural Hotel Cottages
Kooo Architects Designs the Ningshan LuZhai Cottage
Lotus Plant-Inspired Skyscrapers
Aedas Designs the Pair of One Future Buildings Lined with Bronze
Dynamic Y-Shaped Glazed Houses
Saunders Architecture Designs the Y House in Alberta
Vibrant Tonal Spanish Apartments
Colombo and Serboli Architecture Designs a Barcelona Apartment
Caterpillar-Shaped Apartment Buildings
Undecorated Developed an Eye-Catching Metal Building
Regionally Inspired Retail Destinations
Japan & France Converge in the Kenzo Dubai Boutique Design
Greenery-Packed Museum Buildings
This Science Museum is Designed Around a Central Park
Monolithic Metal-Formed Homes
Boyd Architects Designs the Summerville House in South Carolina
Elevated Timber-Clad Homes
Habitable Form Designs the Victory Bay House on Kiawah Island
Nature-Leveraging Home Designs
PAE Designs the Casa Coaba Tucked in the Hillsides
Tent-Like Exhibition Pavilions
Buero Wagner Creates the Adaptable Black Pavilion in Rome
Playfully Angular House Designs
Takeshi Hirobe Architects Design the Villa MKZ in Japan
Village-Inspired Tapered Stone Airport
Foster + Partners Designs a Set of Stone Buildings
Geometric Cone-Shaped Mosques
Altwadum Designs the Bab Al Salam Mosque in Muscat, Oman
Self-Sustaining Houses
Archiopteryx Designs the People Tree House in Noida, India
Afromosia Wood-Defined Dutch Homes
DAB Studio Transforms a Family Home Kitchen in Zwaag
Conservation Area Monumental Townhomes
The DHaus Company Complete the Arches Row of Townhouses
Oasis-Like Urban Hotels
Montalba Architects Renovates the Nobu Hotel in Palo Alto
Aluminum-Wrapped Sportswear Store
Oshinowo Studio Designs the New adidas Store in Lagos
Harmonious Traditional Home Designs
MAKHNO Studio Updates the Century-Old Kyoto House
Indian Design Principal-Based Homes
Matra Designs the New Prism House with Four Concrete Volumes
Charming Angular Contemporary Homes
Studio KUNZ Presents the Trapezium House in Brazil
Cozy Luxury Brand Showrooms
KOT Architects Develops a Neutral Palette for Dior's Showroom
Blackened Timber Tranquil Cabins
The Hideaway House is Nestled in the Abundance of Nature
Morocco-Inspired London Home Extensions
Merrett Houmøller Architects Helps Create a Home Extension
Avian-Inspired Luxury Residences
This Hill-Top Costa Rican Home is Inspired By Bird Plumage
Gallery-Like Minimal Home Designs
Daytrip Completes the Interior Design of a Home in North London
Former-Bakery Modern Apartments
Auba Studio Designs the Newly Converted NZ10 Apartment Space
Prayer Room Government Offices
Agata Kurzela Studio Rewors a Floor of a Heritage Building
Multifunctional Vietnamese Homes
H-H Studio Designs the House for Young Families in Da Nang
Vernacular Architectural Home Designs
Studio Onu Designs the Dom Las in a Polish Forest
AI Africa-Based Travel Apps
The Akwaaba App Provides Insights and Boasts Sustainable Travel
Generously Glazed Spiral Buildings
This Building is Inspired By Czech Glassmaking Tradition
Contemporary Nature-Inspired Homes
Fuller/Overby Architecture Designs the Nebo House
Natural Japanese Art Galleries
Brazil's Yayoi Kusama Gallery Features a Nature-Inspired Design
Wooden Louvres Family Homes
3dor Concepts Designs the Slab Home in Kerela, India
Timeless Terracotta Houses
Studio Weave Designs the Seosaeng House in South Korea
Crystalline Chinese Museum Buildings
The 'Space Crystal' Building Looks Like An Otherworldly Rock
Local Craft-Shown Bamboo Pavilions
AtArchitecture Designs the Northeast Pavilion for an Art Fair
Cement Block-Decorated Homes
Bloom Architecture Designs the Small Houses Collection
Energy-Efficient Museum Complexes
This Museum Uses Innovative Design to Curb Energy Consumption
Wave-Like Structural Art Centers
Studio Zhu-Pei Designs the Zibo OCT Art Center in Shandong
Monolithic Sleek Summer Homes
Jan Henrik Jansen Arkitekter Creates the Vollerup Atrium Home
Curvaceous Brick Forest Homes
Blurring Boundaries Designs the Asmalay Home in a Forest
Live-In Art Gallery Homes
Casa Galeria is a Home That Doubles as an Art Gallery
Compact Calming Homes
Batay-Csorba Architects Masterfully Designed a Modern Brick Home in Toronto
Modern Traditional Japanese Hotels
The Shinmonzen Hotel has a Juxtaposing Design Language
Modern Concrete Community Residences
AOA Architects Designs the Hoji Gangneung Dwellings
Futuristic Bridge Designs
Zaha Hadid Architects' Bridge in China is Futuristic & Stunning
Halo-Like Skylight Homes
Tamara Wibowo Architects Designs the Halo House in Indonesia
Chequered Garden Tea Rooms
Rashid Ali Architects Designs a New Garden Pavilion in Hargeisa
Uniquely Designed Artistic Wallpapers
Mitchell Black & Blessed Little Bungalow Debut a New Capsule
Expansive School Bamboo Canopies
CollectiveProject Creates a Canopy at Talaricheruvu Rural School
Black-Concrete Mountain Houses
AR Arquitectos Designs the Black House in La Calera Outside Córdoba
Concrete South Korean Cafes
On Architects Designs the Nonspace Cafe Space in Incheon,
Traditional Garden-Inspired Cultural Centers
Open Architecture Designs the Shanfeng Academy
Perforated Granite-Detailed Museums
The Chengdu Natural History Museum Gets a New Look
Geometric African Homes
Gregory Katz Architecture Designs the Great Primary Shapes Home
Forested Residential Buildings
GAAGA Designs the Forest Bath Building Framed by Tree Trunks
Gothic-Themed Ornamental Homes
Hyde + Hyde Designs a New 19th Century Gothic Home in Oxford
Stunning Ecuadorean Skyscrapers
This New Skyscraper is Inspired By Local Architecture & Culture
Artfully Inspired Home Renovations
Reflect Architecture Designs the North Drive House in Toronto
Sustainable Cubic Homes
Appels Architekten Designs a New Wooden Home in Germany
Log Cabin-Inspired Modern Homes
Balbek Bureau Renovates a Home in Ukraine with Steel and Concrete
Earthy Community Arts Center
New Makers Bureau and Localworks Design the 32° East Arts Centre
Duplex-Appearing Home Designs
Atelier ST Designs the Duplex House for a Family in Leipzig
Modern Deco Office Designs
Reflect Architecture Designs the NewGen Office with Contemporary Detail
Snake-Resembling Sculptural Homes
Wallmakers Created the New Chuzhi House in Shoolargiri, India
Lighthouse-Functioning Concrete Structures
Lin Architecture Creates the Concrete Pavilion in China
Modular Tent Classroom Designs
Zaha Hadid Architects Designs a Series of Classrooms for Refugees
Traditional Southern-Inspired Hotels
Atelier Ace Conceives the New Maison de la Luz Boutique Hotel
Mirrored Panel Tropical Gardens
Research Artistic Design + Architecture Designs the Frame Garden
Sculptural Concrete Hotel Designs
Atelier d’More Designs the Sleeping Lab Hotel in Beijing
Climate-Friendly Waterfront Homes
From 4 to 1 Creates Three Pavilions in Copenhagen
Blackened Wooden Facade Homes
Annie Barrett and Hye-Young Chung Design the Centered Home
Landmark-Based Buddhist Temples
Atelier Deshaus Completes the Upper-Cloister Buddhist Temple
Inuit-Inspired Cultural Buildings
This Building Takes Design Cues From Snowdrift Patterns
Nomadic Community-Themed Pavilions
Joar Nango Designs Girjegumpi: The Sámi Architecture Library
Childhood-Inspired Generational Homes
AUN Design Studio Creates the New Reflection House
Plaza-Surrounding Housing Complexes
Tariq Khayyat Design Partners Designs the H Residence
Water Flow-Inspired Art Buildings
MAD Designs the Waterfront Nanhai Arts Center in Guangdong
Classically Designed Geometric Mosques
Babnimnim Design Studio Creates the Mamluki Lancet Mosque
Immersive Breeze Houses
Alya Ola Abbas' Design Was Installed for Dubai Design Week 2023
Slaugherhouse-Transformed Unique Museums
Cave Bureau Creates the Anthropocene Museum 9.0
Interfaith Family House Complexes
Adjaye Associates Designs the Abrahamic Family House
Black Terracotta Office Buildings
SOM Creates the New 28&7 Building in Manhattan's Chelsea